Case Study-Bribes

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Case Study The Question of Paying Bribes- A Case Study Response ETH/316 The Question of Paying Bribes- A Case Study Response In business there are many issues to deal with in day-to-day transactions and bribery is certainly not exempt from business dealings in an international setting. Many companies accept bribes and pay bribes without fear of punishment because it is known as a “means to an end”. Although many countries have laws against bribery, it still occurs more often than one might think. Cultural relativism is the ethical theory that the conceptions of truth and moral values are not absolute but are relative to the person and/or cultures that hold them. The thought that “everyone is else is doing and that is the way we do business here” may fall into the cultural relativism theory has nothing to do with the actual ethical and moral judgments we must make as individuals and businesses. Bribery may fall into that category but it is up to us to make our individual ethical and moral choices. As the scenario should ask what position or stance would I take as a project manager when it comes to taking bribes or paying them, my ethics and morals would not be compromised. I am individual with three strong ethical theories that I am drawn towards, utilitarianism, virtue and duty. The utilitarianism theory would dictate that the actions that I take are considered right or wrong depending on the consequences that they would have on the greatest amount of people. In other words, the greatest good for the greatest number. Accepting bribes or paying them in order to get contracts would not be ethical and is considered illegal. This would not be ethical because of the consequences to my employees and to my company. Anyone that would be caught accepting bribes or paying them would be subject to a fine and lose their job. As a project manager, if I committed
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